Comfort Food: Chicken Cacciatore

When it's cold and rainy outside, there's nothing like a hearty, warming dinner. One of my favorite comfort foods is chicken cacciatore served atop mashed red skin potatoes. This version is baked so the chicken stays deliciously crispy.

Baked Chicken Cacciatore

If I were in France with my sister, I would definitely make this with rabbit instead of chicken, as rabbit is readily available there and would be totally delectable.

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Rub 3 pounds chicken parts (I prefer dark meat, such as thighs or drumsticks) with olive oil and lots of salt and ground black pepper. Carefully add chicken to skillet, skin side down. Cook chicken, turning once, until beautifully golden and crispy. (Do this in 2 batches if all the pieces at once would overcrowd the skillet.) Remove chicken from skillet; cover to keep warm.

2. Drain about half of the fat from the skillet. Over medium heat, saute 1 onion, sliced, until translucent. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, stir together about 1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms and 2 cups chicken broth. Place over medium heat until broth is hot and mushrooms are reconstituted, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms from the broth onto a cutting board; set broth aside. Give the mushrooms a quick chop. Add the mushrooms, along with 2 cloves of garlic, minced, to the skillet. Cook for 2 more minutes. Add 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon cracked rosemary, 2 bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper to skillet. Cook for 2 more minutes, adding additional olive oil if the mixture seems dry.

3. Add the chicken broth to skillet, being sure to leave any sand that may have come from the mushrooms at the bottom of the pan (I just don't add the last tablespoon or so of broth). Add one 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes, breaking the tomatoes apart with your hands as you add them. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

4. Pour sauce into a large baking dish. Arrange chicken pieces, skin side up in sauce. Leave the skin sticking out of the sauce, so it remains crisp as it bakes. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup chopped Spanish (Manzilla) olives, kalalmata olives, or oil-cured black olives (my favorite are the Spanish ones). Bake for 45 minutes, or until sauce is bubbling all around the chicken. Using a small spoon, skim off excess fat on the surface. Serve over Mashed Red Potatoes (recipe follows).

Mashed Red Potatoes

Because the oven is already heated up for the chicken, I opt to cook the potatoes in the oven too. You can also boil them on the stovetop, if desired.

1. Place about 2 pounds small red potatoes into a baking dish. Cover the dish and place in a 325 F oven for about 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft to the touch.

2. Meanwhile, bring 1 cup milk and 1/4 cup butter to room temperature. When the potatoes are cooked through, add 3/4 cup of the milk, the butter, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper to the baking dish. Use a potato masher to combine, adding the remaining milk, if necessary.